Public meeting called for Grand Western Canal Rescue

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PEOPLE across the Westcountry are hoped will donate to a campaign which aims to raise millions of pounds to repair Mid Devon's ancient canal.All those with an interest in the 200-year-old waterway are invited to a public meeting where the aims of the Grand Western Canal Rescue fund will be set out.Heavy rainfall caused a bank to collapse on the north side of the canal at Halberton which resulted in a two-mile stretch of water draining into a nearby field.A Just Giving page will be set-up in order to meet what is reported to be a £5m repair bill. The meeting will be held at Halberton Village Hall from 10am on Saturday.Cllr Kevin Wilson, of the canal joint advisory committee which will host the meeting, said: "The purpose of making this a public meeting is so all interested parties who want to save the canal can come along and hear about what we plan to do."It is not a crisis meeting, it is purely and simply a spotlight on the fact that now it has happened, we need to move forward and get it repaired so we have a canal that everybody loves functioning again."We want anglers, walkers, bird watchers and every conceivable person to know about this, talk about this, spread the word, and come along."Representatives from the emergency services, Devon County Council and other organisations will also attend to explain their involvement in the repair operations.Heavy rain in the early hours of last Wednesday morning overwhelmed the canal and eyewitnesses say the ground shook when it eventually gave way.